Packaging feeding system



Dec. 28, 1937. L. l.. sALFlsBERG I PACKAGING-FEEDING SYSTEM Filed Q01..5, 1955 'E [SV E INYENTOR4 '.alhshri] ATTORNEY.

' Patented Deazs, 1937 i A 2,103,388

PACKAGING FEEDING SYSTEM Leroy L. Saltlsberg, South Orange, N. .'i.,assigner to livers-Lee Company, Newark, N. J., a corporation or DelawareApplication October 5, 1935, Serial No. 43,706

2 Claims. (Cl. 226-2) This invention relates to an improvement in 2l, ingravitating down through the chutes 5 and article feeding mechanisms ofa form which may t, can be readily inspected. be conveniently used inconnection with packag- The chutes 5 and 6 are joined together at theing machines, more particularly of the type detop for approximately onethird of their length 5 signed to package articles having major and andthen gradually diverged so as to engage the minor dimensions, such asmedicinal tablets, oval slot openings 9 and ill, provided in the bottomshaped capsules and the like. of the mounting frame l. These slotopenings 9 One of the objects of this invention is to proand I allow forthe discharge of the commodity Vide an apparatus t0 COIItIOl theDOSitOning 0f articles as they descend by gravity through the l0 theaxes of articles having major and minor dichutes. 10 mensions and toproperly feed and space such These openingsy in the mounting frame are`articles for' plural formation packages.` provided with trap members 22and 23, to halt Another object is to provide in the apparatus thecommodity articles as they descend the chutes a plural System 0fdelivery 0f articles t0 packand operate to automatically release onearticle aging Strips, after theyV have been withdrawn from each chute ata time, so as to facilitate a 15 from a hODDSl, and in a manner Such ast0 PIO- constant and perfectly timed feed of the articles duce a rapidand continuous supply of the artifrom the' chutes to the packagingrollers. The cles presented in predetermined positions of spaC- trapmember 22, in Fig. 2, is pivoted by member ing for a packaging operationwith thel articles 2li attached to across bar member 28 which is evenlyspaced and with Corresponding dimensions itself attached to the mountingframe l. At the 20 0f the articles uniformly positioned with respectupper end of trap member 22, thereis provided to the packaging strip. aspring 26 which regulates the tension of the One embodiment of thisinvention is illustrated trap member 22 as it moves to release the cominthe drawing accompanying the specicatons modity article at the end ofthe chute t. A sirn-` 25 in which: I ilar arrangement of mechanism isprovided for 25 Fig. 1 is a front elevation of apparatus in acchute c,COldaIiCe With the invention; l Reciprocatively mounted adjacent chutes5 and Fig. 2 is a vertical section along the line 2-2 g, is a bifurcgtedplunger member it, the legs 0f Fig- 1; 'of which are in alignment withthe slot openings Fig. 3 is a transverse section along the line g and MLThe plunger memberm is pyovided 30 3-3 OFE- 13 and i on one side with alug extension i l adapted to Fig 4 iS a Cut-away fragmentary Perspectiveengage with a lug extension i2 mounted between section of the dischargeend of one of the article the chutes 5 ande so that 'a downward movementfeeding chutes. of the plunger produces a tapping vibration of Themachine of this invention contemplates thechutes as these lug extensionsIl and l2 strike 35 presenting at a given point and at a suitable highand pass each other. This vibration set up in rate of speed, asuccession of articles in a unithe chutes facilitates the downwardmovement of form predetermined position, such articles being thearticles therein'and eliminates any tendency withdrawn from a hopperwhere they have been of the articles to jam or adhere to the walls of 40placed without regard to their individual or relathe chutes or to eachother. At the same time, o tive positions. The invention also providesfeedsuch a tapping vibration causes the articles to ing means forcontrolling the feeding of ovod align themselves along their major axes,thus and other shaped articles having non-uniform imparting to themaposition in which they readdimensions so as to insure a free andunobstruct- `ily pass or roll to contactwith the upper surface 5 ed flowof such articles and to maintain such of the trap members 22 and 23.articles in a predetermined position as they As the two legs i5 and l ofthe plungerV it, emerge from the feeding means. actuated by the drivebars i8 and is, descend, Referring to the drawing in detail andparticthey contact the articles positioned and held by ularly to Fig. 1,there is provided a harp shaped the trap members 22 and 23, and'actthrough 50 mounting frame i, reinforced by cross-bar memthe articles tocause the release ofthe trap members 2; 3 and 4. In the frame l, looselymounted bers 22 and 23, thereby forcing the articles therein are twometal tube shaped chutes 5 and through the slot openings 9 and l@ toposition the 6, of similar construction and each provided with articleswith respect to the package material being an open slot 'I and 8,through which the articles fed through the packaging rollers of asuitable 55 packaging mechanism. As the plunger legs l5 and I6 return totheir original position after expelling the articles, the trap members22 and 23 spring back to trap the succeeding articles, thus completingan article feeding cycle of operations.

Fig. 4 illustrates the relative position o1 the articles 21 when in theform of oval capsules, as they pass down through to the discharging endof the chutes, rolling along their major axes a-a,

b-b, c-c and emerging to engage the trap mem- W chutes so that theyassume a position along their major axes one above the other in illeformaltion. As the bottom articles reach the discharge end of thechutes, they assume a position immediately above the trap members 22 and23 and in juxtaposition with the legs of the plunger. As the plunger I4descends into contact with the articles to expel them, in timedrelationship, through openings 9 and i0, the plunger I4 acts to releasethe trap members 22 and 23. After expelling the articles, the plungerreturns to its original position and as it rises, the trap members 22and 23 automatically resume their former position through the action ofthe springs 26 and thus act to retain the succeeding articles within thechutes, thereby insuring a continuous iiow of articles through thefeeding mechanism.

Although the foregoing discloses one form of article feeding means of myinvention, it will be I understood that various changes can be madeWithout departing from the scope of the invention.

I do not, therefore, desire to limit myself to the foregoing lexcept asmay be pointed out in the appended claims.

What I-claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. Article feeding means comprising, a mounting structure, a pluralityof tubes carried by said mounting structure and having an ellipticalcrosssection, chamber means carried by said structure and comprisingchannels to which said tubes open, trap means for normally closing saidchannels, and plunger means rectilinearly movable through said channelsfor removing articles from said chamber means through said channelswhile actuating said trap means, said tubes and said chamber means beingconstructed so as to roll articles of ovoid formation into said channelsalong their minor axes, and said tubes being loosely carried by saidmounting structure, and an arrangement included in said plunger meansfor agitating said tubes by its rectilinear motion so as to effect thealignment of articles Within said tube.

2. Article feeding means comprising, a mounting structure including arectilinear chamber having an outlet, a movable trap element normallyheld in position to obstruct the outlet of said chamber, a chute ofeilectively elliptical cross-section for feeding ovoid articles with theminor dimensions of such articles extending longitudinall of said chute,.said chute being connected with an opening to said chamber forestablishing a ille of said articles in said chute extending into saidchamber above said trap element, the construction of said chute beingsuch as to permit said articles to be moved into said chamber along apath extending through their minor dimensions, and a picker elementoperating through said chamber to engage the end-most article of said leof articles in said chamber and move the same against said trap memberand out of the chamber, said picker element acting to interrupt the flowof said ovoid articles through said chute to said chamber, while saidselected article is being expelled from said chamber.

' LEROY L. SALFISBERG.

